Nigel Farage and Ewan Roberts clash on migrants entering UK
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Nigel Farage invited the manager of Asylum Link Merseyside, Ewan Roberts, to talk about migrant crossings into the UK as Home Secretary Priti Patel has vowed to get tougher on France amid the increasing numbers of crossings. But the pair clashed over whether or not the crossings could be considered a crisis with Mr Farage demanding to know where they would all be housed. Mr Robert was also asked why the majority of refugees tended to be young men to which he replied it was likely a good thing they were as it meant they could quickly and easily get into work.
Priti Patel has warned France she will withhold £54million worth of funding from the neighbouring country if they refuse to address the growing number of Channel migrant crossings.
The minister said unless France stops three out of four crossings then she will waste no time withholding funds.
According to The Sun, Ms Patel said: “We’ve not given them a penny of the money so far and France is going to have to get its act together if it wants to see the cash.
“It’s payment by results and we’ve not seen those results. The money is conditional.”
The UK sends millions of pounds to France to help bolster security on its northern beaches to prevent migrant crossings.
But footage emerged of French boats escorting migrants to UK waters before leaving them there for Border Force or the RNLI to pick up.
On August 21, a record 828 migrants entered the UK as the daily totals begin to slowly increase.
Mr Farage, who has blasted France for not doing their bit, spoke to Mr Roberts and wanted to know where the refugees could be housed.
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Mr Roberts said: “Places can be found for people if it’s a disaster so you do what you can.
“I take issue with what you said before about a crisis, it’s not.
“Apart from the Afghans, there are no more refugees coming in over the Channel than before, in fact, there has been fewer for such a long time.
“We constantly get images of the boats in the news because they’re newsworthy but actually, over the pandemic, fewer people were coming in through the asylum process.”
He then pointed out France takes nearly double the number of refugees when compared to the UK and said the only solution to the refugee crisis was to speak with the EU.
Mr Roberts then slyly pointed out the UK was no longer a member.
Mr Farage retorted and said a large portion of refugees were young men and wondered why women and children were not making the journey.
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The activist dismissed the point, pointing out it could be a good thing as many were able to work and recalled a refugee who then became a radiologist.
A migrant bill is currently making its way through parliament which will introduce tougher punishments for migrants entering the UK illegally.
It will also give more powers to Border Force to turn back boats towards France if necessary.
Former rear admiral Dr Chris Parry agreed the solution to the problem was down to the European Union and said the bloc needed to introduce a stronger external border policy.
He told Express.co.uk: “The problem is that it’s taken the European Union nearly 28 years to agree on an external borders policy and nothing’s happened.
“It may well be that Afghanistan is the spur to make this at last happen, I don’t think it’s an issue for any one or even two countries to have to deal with, frankly.”
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